If you fell down today...

Our careers sometimes turn us into novices again.

The above is true regardless of who we are, how old or how experienced.

No one person has seen or done it all.

The lessons do lessen in number for most of us as our careers continue, as we learn from our own experiences and from the experience of others. It is worth remembering, even if the occasions are rare, that sometimes we have more in common with the individual on their first day of work than we like to think.

[Captured by the Louvre - see more at Saundra's Flickr Photostream here]

The more aware we are of our attitude towards learners, the easier it is for us to embrace learning ourselves. The better our attitude towards learners, the greater our potential to learn with others and learn for ourselves.

H.G. Wells said, "If you fall down today, stand up tomorrow." He might also have agreed that standing up after a fall is easier when you are looking up at someone holding out their hand.

An Attitude Towards Learners

Why don't we teach careers the way we teach drivers?

Some subjects are easy to pick up but difficult to master. Others require long and patient focus before they feel intuitive (musical instruments anyone?). We often hear that learning ability depends on the person but for the majority of us, isn't our attitude towards learning the most important factor?

If we are motivated to learn we learn. In environments favourable to learners & learning, we learn more.

['Into the bend' - see more at Saundra's Flickr Photostream here]

The way we teach drivers is a great example of the right attitude towards learners. When you learn how to drive, there is no stigma attached to being called a learner for a start. It is accepted that we all begin the same way. We wear the badges on our cars and we get on with it (in the UK these badges are big red 'L-plates' front & rear).

Our driving instructors are professionals. They are trained, experienced, patient, forgiving and focused on our development. We can and do learn to drive at all different ages but our experience as we go through the learning process is the same when we are 17, 37 or 57.

Compare all of the above to the way we learn about our careers. The difficulty we often encounter finding the right support. Our reluctance to be seen as inexperienced or as a learner. The obstacles to learning and developing our careers later in life.

If I could change one thing it would be this: our attitude towards learning career management and our attitude towards those who stand up and call themselves learners.

No where did I put my L-plates again?!

All the best for now,

Paul